Where to find the Best Vegan Food in Budapest

Thanks to national dishes like Goulash (a meat and vegetable stew) and Töltött Káposzta (mince-stuffed cabbage), Hungary has a rather meaty reputation when it comes to food. But in the country’s trendy capital, vegan cuisine is capturing the hearts of locals and victors alike. All over the city, talented local chefs are turning out delicious vegan food that’s tasty enough to tempt even the most outspoken carnivores. From fresh cold pressed juices to inventive salads and meat-free comfort food, this is where to find the best vegan food in Budapest.

Located between Astoria and Deak Square, Szimply offers an all-day breakfast menu that’s as wholesome as it is imaginative and tasty. In keeping with its name, the café is sparsely yet chicly decorated, so the attention remains rightly on the food. The menu changes according to the month and season, but visitors can be sure of a good variety of vegan options. Be sure to order the wickedly good hazelnut and coconut milk cornmeal with fruit and berry sauce.

Vegans needn’t miss out on their favourite guilty pleasures thanks to VeganLove, the Budapest eatery that gives fast food classics a plant-based makeover. Stop by for a BBQ Tofu Steak burger, topped with vegan smoked cheese, crispy onions and garlic veganise or one of the incredibly moreish hot dogs, which include the Mexican dog; a tasty assortment of tofu wiener, vegan cheddar, guacamole, jalapeno salsa and corn salad.

Providing appetising options for vegetarians, vegans and those following a raw food diet, Slow Foodiez is a popular hangout for health-conscious locals. In addition to several daily specials, the menu includes comforting dishes such as sweet potato gnocchi with an almond sage sauce, as well as a raw food interpretation of classic Hungarian stuffed cabbage, Töltött Káposzta.

Perfect for vegans who love to party, the Hummus bar is one of the few veggie-centric diners in the city that stays open ‘till late. The majority of the dishes here are vegetarian rather than vegan, but the selection of authentically prepared hummus and pita as well as soups and salads is enough to satisfy hungry vegan revellers.

Part of a yoga centre, Atma is responsible for feeding Budapest’s ravenous yogis and provides an enticing assortment of veggie and vegan bites. Yoga devotee or not, their cold pressed juices and shakes are seriously tasty.

Head to Fruccola at Kristóf tér for a lunch you won’t forget in a hurry. Order the “Olla Gitana” (carrot, pumpkin, chickpeas, green beans, mint, pear, tomato and beans) and a freshly squeezed juice like the revitalizing pineapple, coriander, spinach, lemon and orange blend. Environmentally conscious diners will be pleased to hear that any leftover food always goes to local charities and social projects.

A dainty café off Muzeum Korut road, Dynamo Bake rents bikes and sells baked goods down a little cobblestone alley. Not technically a vegan location per se, nonetheless, the Portuguese owner loves her black-bean brownies and vast assortment of vegan milks almost as much as her bikes.